Dredging apparatus



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Fb. M36. .1. R. sENsxBAR DREDGING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1934 6 Shets-'Sheet 6 Patented Feb. 18, 1.936VV PATENT OFFICE 2,031,3 ss DBEDGING APPARATUS .'b it. sesiba, o'liego, nl. Appiictin May 9, 1934, serial No. 724389 's oisins. (o1. "3v-64) This invention relates to improvements in 'dredging apparatus and, more particularly, suoli apparatus especially adapted for removing ely and similar sticky or toughmaterial from underwater. My improved vapparatus operates by `a suction process heretofore thought impracticable for removing anything but sand or similar 'mate'- iial.

My improved apparatus operates ilciently on ""ateral that is very densely packed, permitting removal of the same at an exceedingly rapid rate.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawingsv Figure 1 is a top plan view; Fig. 2 is a View vin side elevation; Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view; Fig. 3a is a continuation of the same; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in side elevation; Fig', 4d is a continuation of thesarne; Fig. 5 is a View taken as indicated by the line 5 of Fig. 3 F ig. 6 is a view taken as indicated bythe line 6 of Fig. 3; Fig. l is an enlarged view taken as indicated by the line 'I of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 i's an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the suction pipe and Fig. 9 is a view taken as indicated by' the line 9 of Fig. 8.

The vapparatus is particularly well adapted to be carriedbyaboat, barge, or the like, and is here so shown. The boat Il carries suitable (not shown) for furnishing suction and hydraiic power, as needed. y

The apparatus includes, in general, a swingable suction pipe I Il connected to a fixed suction pipe II by a universal joint I2. 'I'he pipe II is connected to a suction pump of the rotary type on the boat. Any suitable means may be provided for supporting, swinging and moving the free end (the digging end) of the pipe I0 in order to reach to the desired depth and cover the desired area. As here shown, the greater part of the weight of the pipe IIJ is supported from a float I3 by a cable I4 controlled from a winch I5, and by this means the end of the pipe can be raised and lowered at will. The lateral swinging movement of the pipe is accomplished by means of the two lines I6 and I1 controlled by the two Winches I8 and I3, respectively. 'I'he line I6 is led over a block 20 at the'end of an A-frame extending rearwardly from the boat and the line II is held out to one side of the boat by the swinging boom 2I.

The end of the suction pipe is provided with two scrapermouths, one of which is used as the pipe is swung to one side and Vice versa. There are also provided a plurality of rotary cutter discs mounted on a shaft which is swung to one side or the other by the swinging of the pipe to cause o said cutters to lie close to and cooperate with the scraper mouth which is in use. These cutters loosen and break up the material to be excavated sothatit is morereadily scraped up by the scraper mouth and drawn into the same by the "10 suction.v The preferred direction of rotation of the cutters 2l is shown by the arrow in Fig. v6 and it has been found thatwhen thus rotated, the cutters may aid in moving the mouth foro wardly and thus assist in swinging the suction 15 pipe. The rotary motion of the cutters cuts down the pressure required to enter the material being excavated. l

As shown in Fig. 3, the scraper mouths are indicated by 22 and 23, the former being Y20 operative position. The'opening of the mouth is indicated by 24 (see Fig. 6) and the lower lip is .provided with teeth 25. In digging with the rrroumV 22. the pipe is swung' to the side so that the mouth 24 is inthe front; 25

Just ahead of the scraper mouth 22, during the digging operation with this mouth,'is .the shaft 26 ycarrying the discs or cutters 2'I mounted on the sleeve 28 rotatably mounted on the shaft 2 6. v(See Figs. 5 and 6.) The sleeve 28 carrying 30 the cutters 2l is driven from'the shaft 29 through the `bevel gears 30, 3I, 32 and 33 (see Fig. 5), The shaft 23 isdriven by the hydraulic motor 34 throughsitable speed reducing gearing in the casing 35. 'nie motor 34 is supplied with water' 35 under pressure from the pipe 36. This pipe leads to the valve 37 which is adapted to direct the water through either one of the pipes 38 or 39 to the motor 34 depending upon the direction of rotation desired. The pipe not serving as a 40 supply to the motor serves as an exhaust, the valve 3l connecting the same with the exhaust pipe 40. Water is supplied under pressure from suitable pumps (not shown) on the boat to the pipe 4I and this connects under the valve 42 45 (to be hereinafter explained) to the pipe 36.

'I'he valve 31 is controlled by a cross arm 43 which is turned by the backward swinging of the cutter shaft 26 when the suction pipe is swung `to one side or the other. The ends of the cross 50 arm 43 carry the rods 45 and 46 connected to the ends of the cross arm 41 carried by the vertical shaft 48 which in turn carries the shaft 26. In this way the cutters are close to the'opening in the mouth 22 when the latter is in operative 55 position for cutting during one swing of the pipe. When the pipe swings the other way, the cutters are swung back (by the resistance of the material being cut) to lie close to the opening in the mouth 23 (which mouth is also moved into operative position, as will be explained hereinafter) and their direction of rotation is reversed by operation of the valve 31.

When either one of the mouths 22 or 23 is in operative position, the other is Withdrawn. The mouths are shifted when the valve 31 is operated, by the connecting links 55 and 5 I connecting the cross arm 43 toV a cross arm 52 on the valve 42. The valve 42 is adapted to direct some water from the supply (pipe 4|) into one or the other of the two pipes 53 and 54 leading to opposite ends of the cylinder 55 in which is the piston 56 connected to the piston rod 51 which latter is connected at 58 to the cable 59. One end of the cable 59 is connected at 50 to the mouth Z2. The cable 59 passes over the pulleys'l and 62 and has its other end fastened to the mouth 23 at 63. The mouths are also joined by the cable 64 passing over the pulleys 65 and 56 at the end of the suction pipe so that sliding of one to operative position will withdraw the other and vice versa.

The suction pipe I0 (see Fig. 8) is provided with two openings 10 and 1| on opposite sides near its end. The two mouths 22 and 23 are provided with openings 12 and 13, respectively. When the mouth 22 is slid into operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the openings 1B and 12 register and the opening 1l is blocked off by the wall portion 13a of the mouth 23. When the mouths are reversed, the openings 1I and 13 register and the opening 1u is blocked off by the wall portion 12a of the mouth 22.

The pipe l0 is provided with flanges 80, 80 acting as slides or guides on which the mouths slide, the latter being provided with grooves 8| to engage such flanges (see Fig. 9).

During the digging operation the pipe l0 is moved or swung sidewise so that the mouth, especially the lower lip and the teeth thereon, act as a scraper to a certain extent and assist in loosening, scraping, breaking, or digging up the material. The rotary cutters also assist in loosening and breaking up the material and the same, thus loosened, is sucked into the mouth and thence up into the suction pipe l0 with the requisite amount of water and the mixture is then discharged through the pumps on the boat.

In a broad sense the mouth itself may be considered as a part of the suction pipe and when thus considered, the opening in the mouth is the inlet opening in the suction pipe.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus of the character described, including; a swingable suction pipe having an inlet opening at each side near the end; means for swinging said pipe; a mouth with an outlet opening movably mounted on each side of the pipe; and means for moving eachmouth from operative position with its outlet opening registering with one of the inlet openings in the pipe to inoperative position with a wall portion of said mouth closing said inlet opening, and vice versa.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in combination with a cutter adjacent the mouth that is in operative position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in combination with a movable cutter and means for moving said cutter into a position adjacent the mouth that is in operative position,

4. Apparatus of the character described, including; a swingable suction pipe having an inlet opening at each side near the end; means for swinging said pipe; a mouth with an outlet opening slidably mounted on each side of the pipe; means for sliding each mouth from operative position with its outlet opening registering with one of the inlet openings in the pipe to inoperative position with a wall vportion of said mouth closing said inlet opening, and vice versa; a cutter supported on a swingable shaft at the end of the pipe; and means for swinging said shaft to move the cutter into a position adjacent the mouth that is in operative position.

5. Apparatus of the character described, including; a swingable suction pipe; means for swinging said pipe sidewise during an excavating operation; two mouths carried by the pipe; means for rendering one mouth operative and the other inoperative for a swing of the pipe to one side, and vice versa; a movable cutter; and means for moving said cutter into position adjacent the mouth that is in operative position.

JACOB R. SENSIBAR. 

